Dayeabasi GODSIEN| Solomon OKPO
No fewer than 124 indigenous students of the Atiamkpat community, currently studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, have received financial support to advance their education, following a scholarship intervention by the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien.
The cheques were presented to the beneficiaries on December 1, 2026, at the Accountant General’s country home in Atiamkpat, Onna Local Government Area. Pastor Andrew-Essien described the initiative as a personal commitment to giving back to society, stressing that education remains the most reliable and sustainable investment in human development.
He explained that the scholarship scheme was conceived to motivate indigenes of Atiamkpat and other young people to embrace education and remain focused on their academic goals despite prevailing economic challenges.
According to him, financial constraints have continued to derail the aspirations of many brilliant students, a situation the intervention seeks to address by easing the burden of tuition fees and related academic expenses.
The Accountant General disclosed that the vision, which began seven years ago, has already yielded measurable results, producing graduates with Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) degrees within the community. He urged the beneficiaries to justify the confidence reposed in them by remaining disciplined, hardworking and committed to excellence, noting that the support was both an opportunity and a responsibility to become worthy ambassadors of their families and community.
In a related engagement, the Founder and Director of Only Believe Care Foundation and wife of the Accountant General, Pastor Imabong Uwem Andrew-Essien, used the occasion to educate women on healthy living. She cautioned against lifestyles that predispose women to cancer and demonstrated self-breast examination techniques, emphasizing that early detection remains critical to saving lives.
Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Ime Utin, advised the students to reciprocate the gesture by shunning social vices capable of truncating their futures, urging them to remain focused on their studies and personal development.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a student expressed profound gratitude to Pastor Andrew-Essien for the empowerment, describing the intervention as inspiring and life-changing, and pledged that the beneficiaries would make judicious use of the opportunity. A past beneficiary, Miss Abigail Sunday Festus, also commended the Accountant General’s consistent philanthropy and offered prayers for God’s blessings upon him and his family.
Beyond academic support, the programme also empowered 25 youths under an apprenticeship scheme facilitated by the Accountant General in partnership with Only Believe Care Foundation, a non-governmental organisation actively engaged in cancer awareness and prevention.
The event climaxed with the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Pastor Imabong Andrew-Essien by the National Association of Atiamkpat Students, in recognition of her support and contributions to the success of the empowerment initiative.
